Kiss Cam
by holding-on-and-letting-go
Summary: The issue of their ongoing affair is hanging over them as Draco and Hermione plot to secretly hook up at the Quidditch World Cup. Guilt follows both of them,as they both want what's best for the other they realize that it may be a life without each other


SUMMARY- The issue of their ongoing affair is hanging over them as Draco and Hermione plot to secretly hook up at the Quidditch World Cup. Guilt follows both of them, however, and as they both want what's best for the other they realize that it may be a life without them. Star crossed lovers or soul mates? The Kiss Cam will tell... _He twirled the engagement ring on his finger, before pulling it off and gently setting it on the bedside table. "You know why I can't end the engagement. I would be disowned, and you would be shunned by the whole wizarding society for breaking up the 'perfect' couple." __She rolled on top of him this time, with a brazen look in her eyes. "What if I don't care? Let them hate me, let them taunt me with stupid insults. I just want to be with you." She stared into his eyes, watching his pupils grow slightly larger, and his forehead crinkled as it always did when he felt guilty._

* * *

><p>Hermione Granger smoothed over her robes one last time. With a quick glance at the mirror, she deemed herself acceptable and swiftly left her small home.<p>

Stepping outside, she took a breath of fresh air. Glancing up at the sky, she felt the butterflies were more in her stomach than in the pleasant garden surrounding her home. She began the walk to the apparition point, trying to calm her nervous stomach.

It had taken a lot of convincing and a lot of sneaking, but it seemed this plan would work. The tickets were purchased separately, the seats in a private box worthy of the wizarding worlds most elite. They would arrive at different times, exchange a few snide remarks, and send each other heated glances. Then she would excuse herself to use the restroom. A few minutes later he would leave to greet an ambassador from France for a quick business chat.

Hermione smiled excitedly. Her and Draco's plan seemed so childish, but so tempting. She remembered the moment he had explained their latest scheme to her, it had seemed so crazy at that moment.

_"This has to stop." Hermione whispered into his bare chest, guilt growing as she looked at the broken bed underneath them._

_"Surely not the sex?" he said with a chuckle, his charcoal eyes penetrated her brown ones as he leaned in for another kiss._

_Electrifying tingles shot down to Hermione's toes, and it took all she had to pull away._

_"No, of course not. I would never leave you to that hag, Astoria. You're mine, even if you won't tell anyone." She said simply, but with a pang of guilt, knowing the effect it had on him._

_His eyes immediately darkened as he rolled off of her and onto his back. He twirled the engagement ring on his finger, before pulling it off and gently setting it on the bedside table. "You know why I can't end the engagement. I would be disowned, and you would be shunned by the whole wizarding society for breaking up the 'perfect' couple." _

_She rolled on top of him this time, with a brazen look in her eyes. "What if I don't care? Let them hate me, let them taunt me with stupid insults. I just want to be with you." She stared into his eyes, watching his pupils grow slightly larger, and his forehead crinkled as it always did when he felt guilty._

_"This is exactly why you're too dangerous for your own good. I won't let the whole wizarding world destroy you." He sat up, avoiding her gaze, and she rolled off of him. _

_"Fine then." She sighed, the issue of their ongoing affair hanging over them. _

_"So what does have to stop then?" He asked nonchalantly, clearly trying to change the topic. He stood now, and began pulling on his clothes that were strewn across the grimy hotel room._

_She smiled and jumped off the bed. She reached under the dresser and pulled out one of his shoes. "This. Randomly shagging like rabbits in random places. We need something safe, something planned. Something…" She eyed the film of dust in the dull room, "clean."_

_"So basically not this." Draco snorted as he began buttoning his shirt. She rolled her eyes and walked over to him, swatting his hands out of the way as she buttoned it for him. "You know I can do that perfectly well on my own." He reminded her, watching her delicate fingers quickly fasten the buttons._

_"I know." She said with a small smile, as she looked down, almost shy. "I just like doing it for you."_

_He watched her blush slightly, and focused his gaze on her pink lips. Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She raised up to her tip toes to meet him evenly, and for a few blissful moments, all other thoughts erase their minds as they enveloped themselves in each other._

_A loud bang from the adjacent room pulled them apart, as another couple attempted to rival their show last night. Draco chuckled and ran his hands through his hair as Hermione turned a deep red, and cast a silencing charm on the room._

_"I see your point, we need a new place." His mind whirred with possibilities. Neither of their homes were an option; he lived with Astoria and she lived with the female Weasley. _

_Then the idea hit him. It was an idea so tempting, so risqué that he felt his blood run hot. It was risky, and could potentially have disastrous results, but the thrill he got even thinking of it made it worth it._

_"The Quidditch World Cup!" He exclaimed, taking a moment to laugh at her astonished expression. "Think of it, all the empty private boxes at the top? The magic on the stadium only allows people into the boxes if they are in the same section as the box, so if we're both in the same section, we can both get into a box! It's perfect!"_

_She stared at him as if he had just confirmed Luna Lovegood's theories on wrackspurts was indeed true. _

_"Are you mad? Do I need to take you to St. Mungo's for a thorough brain exam?" Her eyes scanned his as she searched for a hint of a joke. Her mind couldn't help picture the thought, the two of them sneaking off like that, in public. It was enticing, the idea, but insane._

_"Trust me, we can make this work." His eyes glimmered with mischief that could rival a Weasley twin. She leaned in, reveling in the reassuring feelings she got from the words "Trust me."_

Trust. She reminded herself to have faith in her lover, as she stood outside the door to box reserved for the most elite of society. Taking a deep breath and thinking of Draco, she pushed open the door.

"Ah, Miss Granger, it's a pleasure to see you here. I didn't know you liked Quidditch!" Kingsley Shacklebolt, the current Minister of Magic, shook her hand warmly.

She glanced around the box and saw everyone staring at her. Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were in a corner, both staring at her bitterly. Astoria Greengrass sat with them, hardly blinking as she scanned Hermione's simple appearance with a judging air. A few seats away from them Minerva McGonagall beamed at her, giving a nod of greeting. Rita Skeeter sat in the center of the group of people, jotting down random things as her eyes remained rested on Hermione. The rest of the box was filled with faces Hermione recognized from the Ministry; mostly heads of departments and such.

She turned her attention back to Kingsley. "Yes, well how could I miss an opportunity to see my two best friends play each other in the match of the century?" She giggled. Harry had gone on to become the seeker for Puddlemere United, and Ron the keeper of the reformed Chudley Cannons. It had been an awkward moment when the two ended up in the Quidditch World Cup against each other, a moment Hermione had found hilarious. But the two agreed to play fair, their friendship too strong for Quidditch rivalries.

"Oh it will be a close match for sure. I look forward to it." Kingsley nodded to her, and stepped back to his seat in the back.

She smiled, and walked over to her seat in the second row. Fidgeting nervously, she found it hard to concentrate on anything. She sat stiffly in her seat, continually glancing around the box. It wasn't until she heard the door creak open and his voice greet the Minister did she finally relax.

Turning over her ticket in her hand, she stared at her lap until she felt his presence standing over her. She looked up at him. He was standing in front of his seat, arms folded and glaring. "So I'm to understand I have to sit by you, Granger?" His voice dripped with sarcasm and harshness, but Hermione could see the gleam in his eyes.

"Don't mistake me for being happy about this either, Malfoy." Hermione replied cooly, remaining seated.

"Just don't annoy me with any pointless banter." He said boredly, as he took his seat, flinching away from her.

Hermione grinned sinisterly at him. It was a smile that would be taken sarcastic to anyone in the box, but sexy to him. He fidgeted in his seat as she had moments before. She looked up at him, widening her eyes pointedly. He turned away and looked out at the pitch as the game began.

"Hi honey." Astoria's voice drawled over the back of Draco's seat seductively. Hermione and Draco both whipped their heads around to stare at the woman perched on his seat. "I thought I'd pop over and say hello, it seems you have abysmal company." Astoria smirked, glaring at Hermione.

Hermione smiled sweetly and looked away, not allowing the vain woman's snide remarks to affect her.

"Honestly, the fact that they even let her type in astounds me."

Hermione breathed in slowly. _Just remember, you're fucking her fiancée. You are fucking her fiancée. _She thought wildly, refraining from clawing the woman's eyes out.

Hermione watched out of the corner of her eye as Astoria grabbed Draco's tie and pulled him in for a kiss, wrapping her arms around the back of his head to pull him closer. She plopped herself into his lap and straddled him, their tongues clashing for dominance.

Rage pulsed through Hermione as she gripped the edge of her seat tightly. _He told you that you were a bitter kisser. You are smarter than her. Is she the brightest with of her age? No. You are. Just remember, you're fucking her fiancée. _

Just as Hermione was about to pounce, Draco pulled away. "Come now, kitten, we're in public." He murmured, easing her off him.

Astoria smiled cunningly. "Well, I will see you later then." And with a swish of jade robes, she was gone.

Draco turned his head slightly, and peeked at Hermione out of the corner of his eyes. He raised his eyebrows and turned his hands up in defeat, showing he had no control. Hermione gave a small nod and an eye roll, and turned away.

Players zoomed in and out of the stands, dashing around the field at lightning speed. Hermione tried her hardest to keep up with the match, but the incredible pace kept her behind. She felt her mind wander as others in the box oohed and ahhed at the game. Draco's foot nudged hers slightly, sending tingles up her body. Just having him next to her reassured her of their plan. She wrapped her ankle around his, the small show of intimacy warming her, temporarily erasing the thoughts of Astoria.

"I wonder, what if Draco could come sit up here with us? Having everyone sit in their assigned seat seems so meaningless up here where there are dozens of empty seats either way." Narcissa Malfoy's nasal voice drew Hermione back into consciousness as she and Draco stiffened simultaneously. Him leaving her didn't seem right. Her heart cried out at the idea of Draco leaving her side, where she felt safe.

They both strained their ears to hear the box attendant's reply, and the both sighed in relief when he told her everyone was required to stay in their assigned seat.

"Well this is just nonsense." Narcissa's voice reverberated through the box, "He would be sitting with us had he not ordered his ticket separately. Such a silly thing to split him from his fiancée here. Have you met her, Minister? This is Astoria Greengrass, her father…" Narcissa's voice droned on as Hermione locked her foot around Draco's again. His knee bumped hers tenderly, before bouncing back into his seat.

Guilt flooded her as Narcissa's voice babbled on about Astoria. Hermione allowed herself to drift off to a world where Narcissa Malfoy doted on her, introducing her to old family friends as Mrs. Hermione Malfoy. She felt a twang of pain in her heart as she thought of the real future Mrs. Malfoy. This woman did love Draco, even if the love was unreturned. Hermione shuddered at the thought of being in Astoria's position, and discovering the affair.

She sighed in defeat. He could have a perfect life with Astoria. She would give him beautiful pureblood children, a goal for the Malfoys. She would clearly be able to provide for him sexually, she had a career in Magical Law, and, above all, she loved him. His life would be simple and perfect without their affair complicating things.

Draco's cough brought Hermione back to reality. He turned and glared at her for a moment, giving her ankle a slight reassuring nudge. Hermione smiled weakly, but the guilt remained. Narcissa Malfoy was so proud of her son; it would destroy her to see him betray their family.

"Yes, well, the wedding is in August. Doesn't that sound like a lovely time for a marriage?" Hermione's heart hit the ground in pieces. Draco had told her he had always wanted a winter marriage.

Feeling dizzy, Hermione stood abruptly. "I'm going to go to the restroom for a moment; I think I have something in my eye." She announced to no one in particular, and without a glance back, she swished out of the box.

Her feet rushed to the box where she planned to meet Draco, but her mind took her elsewhere. Taking slow, prolonged breaths, Hermione paced briskly. Her mind was panicking; all the risks this came with blinding her. She was ruining Draco's life. He had a perfect fiancée who loved him, a mother who would do anything for him, and a father who was finally proud of him. And it was all her fault that he was ruining it.

She heard the door open and close, and felt his body against hers before she could turn and speak. Just as he pressed his warm lips to her neck, she turned around and shrieked, "I can't do this!"

A heated pause filled the room. Draco took a few steps back, and ran his hand through his hair in shock. "What do you mean? We're not going to get caught, I promise."

"No," Hermione cried, trying to hold back the tears in the back of her head. "We have to stop our affair."

She watched as Draco's face went from shocked to heartbroken to confused. "No, we don't! We've been making this work for so long, what's changed?"

She sobbed, the tears finally pouring down her face. "I'm ruining you, Draco! You have a perfect fiancée who loves you, parents who are proud of you! You have the premise for a perfect life, who am I to ruin that just because I- I have feelings for you?" She wiped her eyes on the corner of her sleeves, grateful she had never become accustomed to wearing makeup.

"Hermione, my life is anything but perfect without you!" Draco walked over to her, and enveloped her in a hug. "I can't let the affair go public. It will ruin you. You will lose your job, your friends, and everyone will judge you. This engagement is too much of a big deal to all of them…" He paused, not sure of what to say.

"Hermione, you know I would love to walk up to my parents right now and say 'This is Hermione Granger, and I want her. Not Astoria.' And I wish that would be okay. But it won't." He pulled her closer as she sobbed again.

"Draco…" She whispered, her voice cracking, "Draco, I'm sorry. I have to end this, it's what's best for you. I… I love you, Draco. I want you to know that."

Her confession hung over them like a rain cloud. "What's best for me is to be with you!" Draco whispered, nuzzling her.

Hermione sighed, knowing he wouldn't return her confession. "Not like this, not like this." She pulled away slowly, wiping away the last tears she would cry in front of him.

She looked anywhere but at him, not wanting to break all over again. "This is it, Draco. Go have your life, and I'll have mine. We were just star crossed lovers."

Draco sniffed, and Hermione clutched back more tears, still refusing to look at him. "Star crossed lovers can meet again, you know." He whispered gently.

She smiled weakly. "Maybe."

She turned away from him, and listened as his footsteps left the room. The moment the door closed, Hermione let out a strangled sob as she crashed to the ground. She knew she was doing the right thing. After all, she had never been the type of person to be so dishonest. It wasn't her. She was setting him up for a disaster by being with him. Clutching her chest, she felt her tears run dry. She had no more to cry.

Draco practically ran away from the box, needing to get as far away as possible. He found an empty bathroom, and collapsed against the sink, letting the tears he had held back so strongly fall at last. His heart ached; every piece of him wanted to run back and take her in his arms, to kiss her and tell her everything would work out. But he knew it wouldn't. He couldn't ruin her life by ruining her reputation. He wanted what was best for her. His chest ached as he realized she would move on, and be with another man. Realization dawned on him as he realized how much it must hurt her to see him with Astoria. His body repulsed the thought of Astoria. He sobbed again, hanging his head over the grimy sink.

Walking back to the box, he found she was already there. Sitting firmly, with her hands clinging to the edges of the seat. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. Assuming a posture of regency, he glided into the box and back to his seat.

He could tell after he left she had cried. Her face was red and puffy, and her robe sleeves were covered in tear stains. He felt his hand twitch as he resisted the urge to grab hers. He tried to busy his thoughts by watching the half time show.

The teams mascots danced around the field, and colored sparkles in the team's colors polluted the air, covering everything they touched.

He glanced up at the jumbo screen, covering a whole wall. The Kiss Cam was on, where a snitch with a camera attached to it picked a couple to display on the screen, and wouldn't leave until they kissed.

He chuckled at the old couples who snogged mercilessly, and the young couples who kissed passionately. His laughter shook at the guy who kissed the Veela next to him, much to her dismay. Waiting to see the next victim, he risked a glance at Hermione. She, like everyone else in the stadium, was also watching the Kiss Cam. She laughed at the right moments, but he could tell it was all forced.

He turned his head back to the screen, and blinked in surprise. His own face blinked back at him, on the jumbo screen. Hermione, next to him, widened her eyes in surprise and horror. The pair stared at the screen in astonishment as the crowd roared with laughter.

"Shoo!" Draco waved at the snitch, trying to get it to pick a new couple. The snitch remained, refusing to leave until it's terms were satisfied.

Hermione turned and stared at Draco. This was ridiculous. She contemplated the possible spells she could hit the snitch with, perhaps blowing it up. That may get her in a bit of trouble for arson… she sighed.

The crowd cheered "Kiss, kiss, kiss" repeatedly, and the snitch wouldn't leave. Hermione's blood ran cold in terror. How would they get out of this?

"This is ridiculous, everyone knows he has a fiancée. He wouldn't ever cheat." Narcissa Malfoy's voice complained to the attendant. Hermione was momentarily grateful to the woman, who was trying to rid them of the Kiss Cam.

Draco turned and faced Hermione. She looked terrified, nervous, and broken. His heart melted, and at that moment all his inhibitions went away. Nothing held him back as he grabbed her face, and pulled her to meet his lips.

She stiffened at his grasp, but then melted into his arms as his mouth warmed hers. His tongue explored her familiarly, and she repressed a moan of delight at the feel of his touch. He ran his hands up and down her spine, sending tingles through her body. Running her hands through his hair, she pulled away and grinned at him.

"I love you too, Hermione." He said, as the Quidditch pitch filled with applause. Hermione turned and realized they were still on the Kiss Cam. She smiled happily, without an ounce of care about her future as long as she was with him.

"This is an outrage! A scandal! There must be a mistake!" Narcissa stormed out of the box in a heated fury. Lucius Malfoy stopped to glare at Draco and Hermione for a moment before leaving after his wife.

Astoria appeared almost at once next to them, shaking with fury. "How dare you, you rotten mudblood bitch!" She drew her wand at Hermione, but Hermione forgot a vital piece of information-that she was a witch. She jumped at Astoria, desperate to claw at the girl's caked on face. She felt them separated by magic, and looked up furiously to see Draco separating them with an entertained look on his face.

With a scream of fury, Astoria marched out of the box. Draco reached down and helped Hermione up. "Nice one." He whispered into her ear. She grinned and pulled him in for another kiss, to the applause of the audience who were now riveted to the Kiss Cam.

Hermione smiled in happiness as she waved at the Kiss Cam, Draco's arm wrapped around her tightly as it finally flew away. She glanced back up at the match. Ron had fallen off his broom in shock; Harry had called a time out so he could process this information. Laughing, Hermione turned to Draco. He looked at her deep in the eyes as she squeezed his hand tightly. "I'm not letting go, dear. I love you. Trust me."


End file.
